Costa Rica Trip
Is Costa Rica
dangerous for tourists?
While there have been some unfortunate incidents involving young
tourists in the past few years, Costa Rica remains a very safe,
stable country. Violent crime against tourists is a rarity here
and in most cases, avoidable. Do NOT do anything in Costa Rica
that you would not do in your home country. Do NOT buy drugs,
party late with strangers, walk alone late at night in San Jose,
flaunt cash or wear fancy jewelry. The most common crimes against
tourists are pick pocketing and breaking into rental cars. If you
get a flat tire, or experience a minor roadside emergency do NOT
stop and accept assistance from strangers. Instead, drive to the
nearest gas station or public place to change it. Be careful, use
good judgment and you will most likely come and go without a
hitch.
Can I drink
the water?
The local authorities state that the
drinking water in Costa Rica is perfectly potable, but we
recommend that you stick to the bottled variety wherever possible
to play it safe. Costa Rica is by NO means Mexico (where
Montezuma’s revenge has become the stuff of tourist legends) but
there MAY be bacteria in the water in some areas that disagrees
with your system. As such, we simply suggest you play it safe and
be cautious of what you eat and drink.
Are there modern
medical facilities?
YES! Health care in Costa Rica is excellent and there are several
ultra-modern hospitals with English speaking Doctors (some are
North Americans) in the greater San Jose area. Below are some
phone numbers. For emergency assistance in Costa Rica, dial 911.
Clinica Catolica (225-5055) in Guadalupe
Clinica Americana (222-1010) in downtown San José
Clinica Biblica (257-5252, 257-0466) also in downtown San José
KOP Medical Clinic (228-4119) in San Rafael de Escazú
What type
of food can I expect when dining out?
Costa Rican local cuisine consists
mostly of chicken, beef or fish accompanied with rice and beans.
The typical lunch menu is called a “casado” and includes one of
the first three items, rice and beans and a small salad. The
greater San Jose area has a wide variety of dining due to a high
concentration of foreign residents and locals of mixed ethnic
backgrounds. Dining options are more limited in the beach towns,
although Manuel Antonio offers a pretty impressive variety of
restaurants. If you like seafood, you can’t go wrong ordering
Dorado (Mahi Mahi) or Yellowfin tuna. In San Jose, Asian,
Italian, French and international cuisine are all readily
available.
Are there many mosquitoes?
There are surprisingly few mosquitoes on the popular tourist
beaches. There are more in the rainforest and along the rivers.
If you intend to take a river rafting tour or hike the jungle,
bring insect rappellent.
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